Monument display device

ABSTRACT

A monument arrangement display device including a base having a plurality of spring tabs and at least one leg assembly being adjustingly retained by at least one of the plurality of spring tabs.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This is a non-provisional application based upon U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 60/917,197, entitled “A MONUMENT STRADDLE ASSEMBLY”, filed May 10, 2007, which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a monument display device, and, more particularly, to a monument display device that attaches to the monument.

2. Description of the Related Art

A cemetery monument or headstone is typically anchored or placed upon a concrete foundation and includes lettering and/or illustrations carved into the monument. The shapes of cemetery monuments are rather diverse, yet the typical monument usually includes at least two substantially vertical opposite surfaces.

It is common for those wishing to honor the departed to put various temporary items to honor the departed proximate to the monument. These items are often placed on the ground adjacent to the monument and do thereby cause cemetery maintenance problems, particularly relating to the maintenance of the grass or shrubbery growing in the cemetery. In order to control this phenomenon many cemeteries have regulations that may prohibit the positioning of flower arrangements and the like on the ground. These sorts of regulations then essentially only permit the memorial items to be placed upon the monument itself or on the foundation on which the monument sets. Typically the foundation extends only a short distance from the base of the monument thereby essentially limiting the placement of memorial items onto the monument itself.

Since the monuments are typically made of stone, there is no easy way to attach a memorial item directly to the headstone.

What is needed in the art is an effective inexpensive device to attach a memorial display to a cemetery monument.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a monument display device that attaches, in a removable manner, a memorial display to the cemetery monument.

The invention in one form is directed to a monument arrangement display device including a base having a plurality of spring tabs and at least one leg assembly being adjustingly retained by at least one of the plurality of spring tabs.

An advantage of the present invention is that it can be removably attached to a cemetery memorial.

Another advantage of the present invention is that the base can be utilized with two separate sets of legs to grip either the front/back of the monument or the two sides of the monument.

Yet another advantage of the present invention is that the base provides eyelets to which the display, such as a floral display, may be easily connected without the use of adhesives or other floral mounting techniques.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above-mentioned and other features and advantages of this invention, and the manner of attaining them, will become more apparent and the invention will be better understood by reference to the following description of embodiments of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 illustrates a cemetery monument having an embodiment of the memorial display device of the present invention attached thereto;

FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectioned end view of the monument display device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a top view of the monument display device of FIGS. 1 and 2; and

FIG. 4 is a perspective exploded view of the monument display device of FIGS. 1-3 showing an alternate set of attachment legs.

Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views. The exemplifications set out herein illustrate embodiments of the invention and such exemplifications are not to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention in any manner.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to FIGS. 1-4, there is shown a monument arrangement device 10 positioned on a monument 12 with a floral arrangement 14 attached thereto. Monument 12 is illustrated as having vertical sides as well as vertical front and back allowing monument display device 10 to be arranged using either legs that interact with the sides or the front/back of monument 12. Monument arrangement display device 10 includes a base 16 having either legs 18 or 20 extending therefrom. Base 16 is configured to accommodate either legs 18 extending from the sides of base 16 or legs 20 extending from the front/back of base 16. The choice of which set of legs used is based upon the shape of monument 12 and on the preferences of the installer.

Base 16 includes a peripheral edge 22 that is bent up from the main plane of base 16. Base 16 additionally includes mounting tabs 24 having holes 26, spring tabs 28, aligned in a longitudinal direction 30 and in a direction perpendicular to longitudinal direction 30. Spring tabs 28 are offset so that one pair will accommodate one of legs 18 or 20 while another set of spring tabs 28 are positioned to accommodate another leg 18 or 20, as illustrated in FIG. 3. Holes 32 are positioned in peripheral edge 22 to accommodate sections of legs 18 or 20 as they enter base 16. Holes 32 co-act with spring tabs 28 to retain legs 18 or 20 to base 16.

Spring tabs 28 have a shaped portion, which may be semi-circular to interact with a corresponding shape of at least a section of legs 18 or 20. While the shape is illustrated as being circular or semi-circular in nature any other shape is also possible.

Base 16 is formed from a flat piece of material, one particular choice being metal, such as stainless steel. The forming process includes the cutting and the bending of the various portions of base 16. For example, peripheral edge 22 includes holes 32 that are cut through the material prior to being bent to form peripheral edge 22. Similarly mounting tabs 24 and spring tabs 28 are cut during a cutting process, which may be a stamping operation and then are subsequently formed, which may take place in a forming die. Spring tabs 28 are cantilevered from a portion of base 16 and depend upon the natural resiliency of the material to function as retaining devices for legs 18 or 20. For example, legs 18 are inserted through corresponding holes 32 with sections of legs 18 being directed through corresponding shaped portions of a pair of spring tabs 28 and then extends adjacent to another set of spring tabs, which are used to retain the opposite leg. Sections of legs 18 that extend across base 16 are substantially parallel with each other and can be adjusted inwardly and outwardly by the person installing monument display device 10 on monument 12. Holes 26 in mounting tabs 24 allow for the use of connecting fasteners, such as wire that can be passed through holes 26 to thereby retain floral arrangement 14 to base 16. Alternatively, mounting tabs 24 may be utilized to interact with a Styrofoam base floral arrangement to retain the Styrofoam base of floral arrangement 14.

Legs 18 and 20 respectively include an inwardly angled portion 34 and 38 that provides a resilient springy interaction between base 16 and legs 18 or 20. The interaction allows for a compressive force to be applied against monument 12 putting legs 18 and 20 in a combination of linear and angular tension that causes the section of legs 18 or 20 extending into base 16 be further held in position. Inward angle 34 of leg 18 and inward angle 38 of leg 20 may be approximately similar. Cross-sectional shape 36 of leg 18 and cross-sectional shape 40 may be identical each corresponding to the curved portions of spring tabs 28 so that the interaction between holes 32 that are shaped to accommodate cross-sectional shapes 36 or 40 and tabs 28, provide for a secure connection of mounting display device 10 to monument 12. In the case of legs 18 holes 32 are actually slots that accommodate the parallel sections of legs 18 that extend in opposite directions, as illustrated in FIG. 3. In a like manner separate holes to accommodate legs 20 may be utilized as shown in FIG. 4.

The present invention advantageously interacts with the top of a monument to secure a desired display thereto. A coating over the end of legs 18 or 20 may be applied, such as a plastic material to prevent marring of the stone and to increase the gripping ability of the assembly. Further, a cushion or non-marking pad may be positioned on the bottom side of base 16 to further the utility of device 10.

While this invention has been described with respect to at least one embodiment, the present invention can be further modified within the spirit and scope of this disclosure. This application is therefore intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the invention using its general principles. Further, this application is intended to cover such departures from the present disclosure as come within known or customary practice in the art to which this invention pertains and which fall within the limits of the appended claims. 

1. A monument arrangement display device, comprising: a base including a plurality of spring tabs; and at least one leg assembly being adjustingly retained by at least one of said plurality of spring tabs.
 2. The monument arrangement display device of claim 1, wherein said at least one leg assembly includes a first leg and a second leg, said first leg extending from a side of said base, said second leg extending from an opposite side of said base.
 3. The monument arrangement display device of claim 2, wherein said first leg and said second leg each have two segments that extend from said base.
 4. The monument arrangement display device of claim 3, wherein said first leg and said second leg are each adjustingly retained to said base by at least two of said plurality of spring tabs.
 5. The monument arrangement display device of claim 4, wherein said first leg and said second leg are each retained to said base by a separate set of two of said plurality of spring tabs.
 6. The monument arrangement display device of claim 5, wherein a portion of said first leg is substantially parallel to a portion of said second leg.
 7. The monument arrangement display device of claim 6, wherein said first leg passes adjacent to said set of two of said plurality of spring tabs that retain said second leg.
 8. The monument arrangement display device of claim 5, wherein each of said plurality of spring tabs include a shaped portion, said first leg and said second leg each having a cross-sectional shape corresponding to said shaped portion of said spring tabs.
 9. The monument arrangement display device of claim 8, wherein said first leg and said second leg each have an end portion that is angled inwardly toward each other in order to grip the monument.
 10. The monument arrangement display device of claim 9, wherein said base includes a plurality of holes each of said segments passing through at least one of said plurality of holes in said base.
 11. The monument arrangement display device of claim 1, wherein said base is formed from a flat piece of metal by cutting and bending the metal.
 12. The monument arrangement display device of claim 11, wherein each of said plurality of spring tabs include a shaped portion, said at least one leg assembly including a first leg and a second leg, said first leg and said second leg each having a cross-sectional shape corresponding to said shaped portion of said spring tabs.
 13. The monument arrangement display device of claim 12, wherein said first leg and said second leg each have an end portion that is angled inwardly toward each other in order to grip the monument.
 14. The monument arrangement display device of claim 13, wherein said base includes a plurality of holes each of said segments passing through at least one of said plurality of holes in said base.
 15. The monument arrangement display device of claim 14, wherein said first leg extends from a side of said base, said second leg extending from an opposite side of said base.
 16. The monument arrangement display device of claim 15, wherein said first leg and said second leg each have two segments that extend from said base.
 17. The monument arrangement display device of claim 16, wherein said first leg and said second leg are each adjustingly retained to said base by at least two of said plurality of spring tabs.
 18. The monument arrangement display device of claim 17, wherein said first leg and said second leg are each retained to said base by a separate set of two of said plurality of spring tabs.
 19. The monument arrangement display device of claim 18, wherein a portion of said first leg is substantially parallel to a portion of said second leg.
 20. The monument arrangement display device of claim 19, wherein said first leg passes adjacent to said set of two of said plurality of spring tabs that retain said second leg. 